2D Nanomaterial Functionalized Nanomechanical Stress Sensor

Nanoscale gas sensors have a many potential applications such as toxic gas sensing, air quality monitoring, early disease detection and point of care diagnostics. Recently a novel gas sensing design based on a nano-mechanical membrane has been developed, known as the membrane-type surface stress sensor (MSS). The membrane is coated with a gas sensing material known as the receptor layer, which promotes the adsorption of the target gaseous analytes. The adsorption of the gas on the receptor imparts a physical stress onto the membrane which is subsequently measured by a stress sensitive material known as a piezoresistor placed at the fixed ends of the membrane. The measured stress indicates detection of the target gas. Thus far the receptor layer has been a polymer based material that has been able to sense water vapors, alcohols and various aromatics. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Mustafa Yavuz

Student:

Partner:

National Institute for Materials Science

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

University:

University of Waterloo

Program:

Globalink Research Award